Building a double bed from two singles (1 Viewer)

[Randommoose]

Our Hymer comes with two single beds with a walking space and wardrobe in between. We are converting it to have a double (well, massive 2mx2m double) instead. I thought I would put up pictures in case anyone else in the future wants to do the same.

Original:

We removed all the bedding etc, wardrobe, headboards. The single bed bases are folded up in the photo.

 

[Randommoose]

Next we removed the single bed frames and dismantled them into component parts for storage.

 

[cookie]

Nice idea but not sure about the bricked up window

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[Randommoose]

We put a straight edge over the centre 'hallway' sides to work out how much height we needed to add to the side bed frames. Then cut a plank to fit. We cable tied it on at about 30cm intervals.

Next was plywood. After measuring, planning, considering, measuring again we worked out a plan. Hired a van for an hour and got the plywood cut to size from B&Q. Once home I scribed edges onto some cardboard and we cut the plywood to match

 

[Randommoose]

After a bit of planning and hoisting (have you ever tried manoeuvring a 2.12m x 1.2m board in a motorhome?!) we had the first piece in.

We put felt around the edges and underneath so it won't damage or creak against the motorhome surfaces

 

[Randommoose]

Second piece (thankfully smaller) in and felted

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[Mikeco]

Looks a bit flimsy to me, not a lot of support and being solid prone to condensation

 

[Randommoose]

Bed sides back in but currently not attached in any way, I will attach them with velcro. The one on the right needs to be accessible (and the second plank of plywood slid over the top of the first) for boiler maintenance. I've got cream leatherette and wadding to make a headboard to match from a remaining piece of plywood.

 

[Randommoose]

That's the progress so far, I will put more photos in as we do more.

Nice idea but not sure about the bricked up window

Haha You'll notice we levelled the bricked up window later on...

Looks a bit flimsy to me, not a lot of support and being solid prone to condensation

It doesn't feel flimsy and takes the weight of both of us fine even before any weight is spread by mattresses (and my husband is over 90kg). We are prepared to alter it with battens for more support later on if needed.
As for condensation, we will have to see how it goes. The garage is heated to the same temperature as the motorhome so there won't be a big temperature difference between above and below (other than our body heat). If necessary we will cover it with something that lets air flow. Or rip it out and put slats instead. I got suggestions from panel van conversions and a lot of them used solid plywood.

Moose

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[Mikeco]

That's the progress so far, I will put more photos in as we do more.


Haha You'll notice we levelled the bricked up window later on...


It doesn't feel flimsy and takes the weight of both of us fine even before any weight is spread by mattresses (and my husband is over 90kg). We are prepared to alter it with battens for more support later on if needed.
As for condensation, we will have to see how it goes. The garage is heated to the same temperature as the motorhome so there won't be a big temperature difference between above and below (other than our body heat). If necessary we will cover it with something that lets air flow. Or rip it out and put slats instead. I got suggestions from panel van conversions and a lot of them used solid plywood.

Moose

On my conversion I used the aluminium framed type with curved slats which you find on most caravan double beds and as far as I have seen looking at professional conversions they use the same. Very rarely seen any with just solid plywood due to condensation problems. Hope it works okay for you.

 

[Randommoose]

On my conversion I used the aluminium framed type with curved slats which you find on most caravan double beds and as far as I have seen looking at professional conversions they use the same. Very rarely seen any with just solid plywood due to condensation problems. Hope it works okay for you.

That sounds like the single bed frames we took out.
I was looking a DIY conversions, I didn't find a website detailing a professional conversion so I just copied what other DIY people did!

There are dry mat options (mainly used on boats) such as www.shipshapebedding.co.uk/shop/dry-mat (first one I saw on Google) that we could use under the mattress if needed. We have a damp meter and will check regularly.

 

[Minxy]

You must REALLY be missing your 'rumpy-pumpy' to go to all this trouble!

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[Gellyneck]

Could you not just have "filled in" the central portion between the single beds? That's how our Autotrail Savannah converts the two singles into a large double.

 

[Minxy]

Could you not just have "filled in" the central portion between the single beds? That's how our Autotrail Savannah converts the two singles into a large double.

Pssssssst ... I thought of that too ......

 

[chaser]

Beds really should be slats, you can get them ready made off eBay , cheaper than plywood.

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[two]

Nice bit of handiwork. You'll need to deal with condensation, though. It's surprising how much the body gives off. Use some of that hard, course, 10mm thick foam (best description I can give) like Hymer use in some of theirs. A few vent holes would aid circulation, too.

 

[Randommoose]

You must REALLY be missing your 'rumpy-pumpy' to go to all this trouble!

We are living in this for most of the next 18 months...

 

[Randommoose]

Could you not just have "filled in" the central portion between the single beds? That's how our Autotrail Savannah converts the two singles into a large double.

That was the original plan (and how many Hymers are built too). However, we wanted something stronger than the original single beds (so had to remove them anyway), didn't want the mattress gaps to line up with our preferred direction of sleeping, and everything needs to be completely reversible (for resale afterwards) so no drilling into anything or causing any wear to visible surfaces. So it made more sense to have a full width bed base rather than three separate sections.

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[Randommoose]

Nice bit of handiwork. You'll need to deal with condensation, though. It's surprising how much the body gives off. Use some of that hard, course, 10mm thick foam (best description I can give) like Hymer use in some of theirs. A few vent holes would aid circulation, too.

Thanks, I'll look for some of that foam and we are prepared to make vent holes. At the moment we are working on the structure first and then will work out where to position vent holes.

Random question - what is it that makes motorhomes more prone to condensation when the mattress is on a plywood base? Just wondering as I have lived in houses and a caravan with beds with solid plywood bases and never had condensation under a mattress. Also divan beds are solid base under the mattress as far as I have seen (but I've never slept on one).

I lived in a caravan for 18 months (through 2 UK winters urgh... It's only taken the best part of a decade to get over it ). The caravan was single skin, single glazed, no heating (I had a fan heater on when I was in it but off when I was out) and condensation was terrible running down the windows, damp on top of my bedding etc. Solid plywood base bed yet never had condensation under the mattress and I checked regularly. It was over two lockers which were cold inside as the heat didn't get to them.

Childhood and university I had beds with plywood put underneath the mattress to make them firmer. No problems there either (though admittedly I never checked the one when I was a child other than moving the mattress around to make forts and dens ).

Moose

 

[Lenny HB]

Even with your heated garage you will still suffer condensation on a solid base but easy to cure using either or Froli Stars. The Froli's are excellant and improve the comfort of the mattress, a lot cheaper bought direct from Germany.

 

[two]

Your body sheds water vapour and much of that goes into the fabric of the mattress as you sleep. It needs to escape and will condense on cooler surfaces if it meets them. You’re unlikely to see it as water but you might feel it as dampness and that can lead to mildew. It’s not peculiar to motorhomes. I, too, have slept in the kind of caravan you describe and in winter. In those days you often used a table to span the gap between seats, to make the bed up, and the seats were solid based too. Cushions would become mildewed in time. You could reduce the effect by placing corrugated cardboard between but I found that turning the cushions over “the wrong way round” allowed the trapped moisture to escape during the day and dry out after being turned back. You cannot (won’t want to) do that with a mattress and cardboard needs to be replaced regularly (it goes flat). Manufacturers started to use peg board to improve circulation but nowadays it’s slats. I take your point about heating the underside but the heating will not be on overnight and you wont want to shorten the life of a good mattress, so bear it in mind.

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[Minxy]

Ref a 'solid' bed base - the thing you've not considered is the extra 'springing' that the slats give thus making the original single beds more comfortable so if you're just relying on the mattress itself you could find it 'hard'.

I'd suggest you consider getting hold of a double/king size bed made from slats and dumping the legs etc, just using the slatted base itself - by putting in the camper on top of the boarding it would totally alleviate any condensation issues and give you a much comfier bed to boot - you could buy 'new' of course, or just a good second-hand one.

 

[Happy1]

IKEA sell double bed slats the curved type
Http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/mattresses/slatted-bed-bases/luröy-slatted-bed-base-art-50278726/
Only cost £24 worked for us just unroll and secure with a few screws

 

[Minxy]

Oh how I wish there was an Ikea near us ... I could happily spend hours mooching round in there!

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[Freespirit1]

You must REALLY be missing your 'rumpy-pumpy' to go to all this trouble!

Yeah! But sooo much more room for 3 don't you think!!!

 

[Anthea M]

Oh how I wish there was an Ikea near us ... I could happily spend hours mooching round in there!

Sheffields ikea has just opened not to far for you!!!

 

[Minxy]

Sheffields ikea has just opened not to far for you!!!

The Leeds one is just a bit closer and easier to get to ... still a bit too far for just a mooch round though.

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[Freespirit1]

That sounds like the single bed frames we took out.
I was looking a DIY conversions, I didn't find a website detailing a professional conversion so I just copied what other DIY people did!

There are dry mat options (mainly used on boats) such as www.shipshapebedding.co.uk/shop/dry-mat (first one I saw on Google) that we could use under the mattress if needed. We have a damp meter and will check regularly.

How about a luxury air bed made to measure or even a water bed with duel water storage facility

 

[Stealaway]

IMHO you need slats. Ply is just too heavy and promotes condensation under the mattress. Sorry

 

[funflair]

I did ours but I just turned the slatted frames around and sat them next to each other, altered some of the woodwork frame and steps up but kept the air gaps and ventilation, I agree you dont want to be straight onto a non breathing surface but you can get plastic membrane a (bit like a coarse brillo pad) that will let it breathe.

Martin

EDIT DRY-mat that will be the one

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